Pithy Quotes by and about Politics and Politicians

Here’s a collection of various quotes, mostly by well-known figures, about politics and politicians, and those made by them. I have tried to select them where they have a current relevance, however many years ago they were uttered or written.

Winston Churchill

Civil servants – no longer servants, no longer civil.

On the required qualities of a politician:

The ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen.

On principles, and it seems Cameron is a past-master at this too:

Never stand so high upon a principle that you cannot lower it to suit the circumstances.

On voters and democracy:

The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.

On Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics:

When I call for statistics about the rate of infant mortality, what I want is proof that fewer babies died when I was Prime Minister than when anyone else was Prime Minister. That is a political statistic.

Margaret Thatcher

On the battle of the sexes:

In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.

On politics:

Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous: you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides.

On Labour:

The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples’ money.

Anuerin Bevan

Labour minister who introduced the NHS and Welfare in 1948 (foretelling the EU?):

This island is made mainly of coal and surrounded by fish. Only an organising genius could produce a shortage of coal and fish at the same time.

On politics generally, and showing that great minds think alike:

We know what happens to people who stay in the middle of the road. They get run over.

However, this proves he was an expert at self-delusion:

The language of priorities is the religion of socialism.

Graham Greene, the writer (1904-1991) said this:

Heresy is another word for freedom of thought

Robin Day, political interviewer (1923-2000) offered this insight into his profession:

Television thrives on unreason, and unreason thrives on television. It strikes at the emotions rather than the intellect.

About The Author

Brian Otridge was Editor-in-Chief of UKIP Daily for 2 years till March 2016. He has been an aircraft engineer, currently works in the IT Industry and also enjoys writing on a wide variety of subjects. He was the UKIP Parliamentary Candidate for Southend West in Essex in 2015, but now lives in Lancashire